Cicero was Rome's greatest orator and profilic writer
of verse and letters, and works of politics and rethoric.

Marcus Tullius Cicero studied in Rome and Greece and won his first
fame as a defence lawyer. As consul in 63 BC he crushed the conspiracy
of Catiline. He declined to support the triumvirate of Caesar, Pompey,
and Crassus.

He had to leave Rome briefly and when he came back he turned
to writing essays on philosophy, oratory, and politics. His letters,
of which almost 1,000 survive, had great influence on later generations.

Caesar and Cicero were reconciled after Pompey's defeat, but in 44 BC
Cicero approved of Caesar's murder and as the unofficial leader of the
Senate he launched a great attack on Mark Antony in a series of 14 speeches,
known as 'Philippics. He was, however, unable to prevent an alliance of
Antony with Octavian (Augustus). Cicero was captured and put to death.